A Chevy Tahoe went through the first-floor garage of a multi-family residence at 306 Norwich Ave. in Norwich on Monday morning, according to police.

Firefighters from Taftville responded to the multi-family house at 9:25 a.m. and found a female still in the vehicle. She had struck a gas line, ruptured it, causing a gas leak, fire officials said. 

She was taken to Backus Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries, fire officials said.

The building inspector was at the scene to determine if the home is structurally sound.

Whether anyone was home is not known.
 

There was lots of frustration and confusion on Monday morning as thousands of passengers hopped on shuttle buses on Water Street in Bridgeport to reach their destinations after the MetroNorth train crash on Friday.

One woman said she circled around in Bridgeport for more than 25 minutes.

More than 100 buses were stationed in Water Street, ready to offer local or express service to customers.

“The plan was to head to South Norwalk,” Muhidin Hasanovic said.

Hasanovic said it usually takes him 20 minutes to get to school, but his commute on Monday morning grew by more than an hour.

“I had to wake up almost a full hour earlier just to get here and take the express bus,” Hasanovic said.

Hasanovic isn’t alone.

Dennis Snyder said he was stranded for days. With no car, the New Yorker had no choice but to wait for a bus to get him to Waterbury, where he is working on a carnival.

Jonathan Faccento boarded one of the buses and hopes things returns to normal, soon,

“”I’ll probably stay in New York for Memorial Day if this continues,” he said.

Commuters said they’re anxiously awaiting what happens tomorrow and over the next several days.

As long as crews continue to work on the 2,000 feet of track that was damaged from Friday’s accident, train service will be disrupted. 


 

Middletown police stopped a man suspected of drunken driving last Sunday night and learned that he’s been convicted of drunken driving 12 times in the last 12 years, police said.

Police stopped Jose Dosreis, 57, at 9:20 p.m. on Sunday, May 12 after receiving a report of erratic driving on Newfield Street, police said.

As police followed Dosreis’ white Ford Explorer, he hit the center island in the road on Westfield Street, lurched forward and straddled lanes after stopping at a traffic light and ignored police sirens to stop, police said.

Police caught up to Dosreis in his driveway on Bailey Road and took the keys out of the ignition, police said.

When the officer asked Dosreis why he did not stop for police, he said “I’m drunk,” according to the arraignment report.

As police spoke with Dosreis, his speech was slurred to the point where the officer could not understand him, according to police, and he almost fell when getting out of the car.

When police asked how much he’d had to drink, Dosreis responded, “too much” and refused a sobriety test, according to police.

A family member later told police that Dosreis had started drinking at noon and consumed a 30-pack of beer. They had to physically prevent him from getting into his car and driving, according to the arraignment  report.

Police said Dosreis fell several times while he was being booked and when asked about his prior DUI convictions, responded “I do my time, then I get out.”

As police were processing Dosreis, they mentioned about the possibility of going back to prison.

 “It’ll be a three –month vacation, then I’ll be out again,” Dosreis said, according to police.

He was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drug/alcohol, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license and failure to drive right.

He was released on a $1,500 non-surety bond and is due in court on May 24.

According to court records, Middletown Police arrested Dosreis on Jan. 19, and was charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. http://www.jud2.ct.gov/crdockets/CaseDetail.aspx?source=Pending&Key=00026135-d1ea-449d-9f18-413170c437c1
 

The boyfriend of ECSU Student Alyssiah Wiley appeared in court on murder charges Monday.

Jermaine Richards, a 30-year-old nurse, was held on $1 million bond.

Richards was arrested on Saturday afternoon, hours after police confirmed that remains found in a wooded area of Trumbull were those of Wiley.

Family and friends of the 20-year-old woman said Richards was Alyssiah's long-time boyfriend.

Wiley, a sophomore at Eastern Connecticut State University, was last seen in Bridgeport.

Richards claimed that he dropped Wiley off at a Dairy Queen near the campus in Willimantic at 11 p.m. on April 20, police said.

The search for her stretched from Willimantic to Meriden, East Haven, West Haven and Ansonia.

State Police began searching a wooded area off of Quarry Road early Friday morning and a state police cadaver dog found Wiley's remains around 10 a.m.

The Connecticut State Forensic Lab in Meriden identified the remains as Wiley through DNA.

Richards turned himself in to Troop G State Police Barracks in Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon, police said.

Attorney John Gulash, said he has been representing Richards “over the past few weeks during the course of the investigation.”

“I remained in regular contact with the State Police and upon hearing that a warrant was issued, immediately made arrangements to surrender him to State Police,” Gulash said.

He said Richards has lived here in the Bridgeport area for the last 20 years and has been gainfully employed up until the time of his arrest.

“I think it certainly supports that he is certainly willing to abide by any terms and conditions of the court while the matter is pending,” Gulash said. “It's an emotionally charged situation.  The court on a very regular basis deals with similar situations, and they certainly were prepared to deal with it as they do every day.” 

Corinna Martin, Alyssiah's mother, said major crimes detectives came to her door to personally tell her they had found her daughter's body.

She praised police for their effort and said her daughter was taken from her by a "selfish and malicious person." She added that she loves God and God loves her.

"A young woman who lived life, had her goals set, knew where she wanted to go, and knew what she had to do to get there. And she loved it all to the fullest," Martin said.

The Office of the Chief State's Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the manner and cause of Wiley's death. 

Bond for Richards was originally was set at $2 million, state police spokesman,  Lt. J. Paul Vance, said. On Monday, Richards was held on $1 million bond and the case was transferred to Part A. A court date of June 25 is set. The warrant is sealed.

Torrington mayor Ryan Bingham announced Monday he will not run for reelection.

"This is not an easy decision and has taken some very serious reflection," Bingham said in a statement.

Bingham was 22 when he was first elected in November 2005, becoming the youngest mayor in Connecticut history, according to his biography. The Republican is in his third term and was married during his time in office. Bingham and his wife Jen are expecting their first child in August.

"As I have contemplated my decision whether or not to run for Mayor again this November, I have to now consider the impacts to my family and my future child and whether or not I can commit fully to this position as I have for over 7 years," Bingham said.

Mayor Bingham did not say what he plans on doing after he leaves office, but that he will continue to support his city.

"I hope that wherever the future takes me that I can always live in Torrington and give back to the community that has given me so much," he said.

For the next week, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy plans to live on the equivalent of a food stamp budget to understand what it means to live on a food budget of $4.80 per day.

Murphy said he is taking the Food Stamp Challenge to better understand how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program works on a personal level, according to a news release.

The challenge started on Monday.

“427,000 people in Connecticut rely on SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families,” Murphy said in a statement. “Spending some time living on this budget gives policymakers a firsthand look at the realities of maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet on an extremely limited budget. It’s not easy, but it’s important for people in Washington to understand what our constituents who rely on SNAP face every day. Some lawmakers have proposed steep, damaging cuts to SNAP as part of the Farm Bill here in Congress, and we owe it our constituents  to face up to the reality of those cuts.”
 
As of January of 2013, 12 percent of the state’s population participates in the program. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the Food Stamp Program, the average monthly benefit in Connecticut is $143.89 per family member, which is $4.80 per day or $1.60 per meal, according to Murphy’s office.
 
Murphy will keep track of his meals and post observations throughout the week via Twitter and Facebook.

In 2011, U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney took the challenge. He and his wife are on $32 per week and he blogged about the experience. http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Congressman-Lives-on-Food-Stamp-Budget-for-a-Week-132787213.html
 

A woman is fighting for her life at a hospital after being set on fire Monday morning inside a North Texas convenience store.

Witnesses said a woman walked into the Buy and Save convenience store at the Texaco gas station on Long Ave. and Azle Ave. in Fort Worth and doused the victim with flammable liquid.

Witnesses said it "took one second" for the attacker to light the victim on fire after dousing her with the liquid. Witnesses said they couldn't tell how she ignited the fire. They added she didn't say anything to the victim before lighting her on fire.

The victim's friend, standing nearby, caught on fire as well.

The attacker got into a car that was waiting for her in the parking lot and they drove off.

Fort Worth police haven't identified the attacker, anyone else in the vehicle, or the kind of car. Detectives spent seven hours at the store collecting evidence and taking photographs.

The Buy and Save had surveillance cameras inside the store. Police are looking through those videos now trying to identify the attacker.

NBC5 spoke with Alex Hilo, the night shift worker at the Buy and Save.

"I was making the coffee and I see a bunch of fire going, I go and try to help her out. I threw some water on her, to put the fire out. But this thing happened too fast," Hilo said.

"All I saw was just fire. Somebody threw something and lit someone on fire. It was scary thing," he added. "All the top of her body [was burned]. Her hair, her face, everything was burned."

Hilo said the victim's screams for help sounded like a "nightmare."

Moments after the attack, Hilo rushed into action. He grabbed jugs of water from the store shelves and poured them on the victim. He also started grabbing at her clothes.

"I wanted to take her clothes, there was liquid on it, so I knew if I could get her clothes off, there'd be less fire," he said.

The victim was transported via helicopter to a Dallas hospital. Firefighters said she has life-threatening burns over her entire body. Her name has not been released because police haven't contacted her family.

"It appears to be a targeted attack. That's what it looks like right now. This women had some type of previous relationship prior to this incident occurring,” said Tim Hardeman, with the Fort Worth Fire Department.

The victim's friend was also rushed to the hospital with burns over her back.

Alex Hilo also suffered minor burns on his hands and forearms from trying to save the women's lives. He was treated on scene.

"There's no time to think. I had to act fast, fast fast," he said.

Hilo said the victims are regular customers during his shift, but he doesn't know their names. He also said the suspect is a regular customer, too, but he doesn't know her name either.

NBC 5's Greg Janda contributed to an earlier version of this story.

Hamden police have arrested a suspect in the sexual assault of a Quinnipiac University student in April.

Hamden Police said the victim woke up around 4:30 a.m. on April 14 to find an intruder sexually assaulting her in her Linden Avenue residence.

Police arrested Marcelo Munoz-Cervantes, 29, of New Haven, after a month-long investigation.

Investigators said he worked as a maintenance worker for the landlord who rented the home to the sexual assault victim and was familiar with the property.

He worked for a restaurant in Southington and was arrested there, police said.

Munoz-Cervantes is accused of choking the victim when she screamed for help, punching her in the face several times, threatening to kill her and placing a sheet over her head police said.

The victim was treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital for a displaced rib and injuries to her back, neck and shoulder.

The university sent a notice out to students, both on and off campus, alerting them to be aware of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to the the department of public safety or to Hamden Police.

According to police, Munoz-Cervantes got into the house through an unlocked fromt door.

Munoz-Cervantes was was charged with first-degree sexual assault, home invasion, burglary in the first degree, assault in the second degree and strangulation in the second degree.

He is being held on a $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court in Meriden on May 31.

Police said Munoz-Cervantes is an undocumented immigrant and Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer on him.
 

Police are looking for two masked men who robbed a West Hartford jewelry store just before 2 p.m. on Monday.

Police said three men were involved in the robbery at Solid Gold, located at 18 Kane St. Two of the three went into the store wearing black ski masks and holding long guns, police said.

Four employees and a customer were in the store when the robbery happened. 

No shots were fired and no one was hurt.

The robbers were in and out of the store in less than one minute and fled before officers arrived, police said. What they took is not known.

Police said a silver Nissan Altima with dealer plates was at the scene and appears to have been abandoned at 472 Prospect St. in Hartford.

Hartford police are at the scene and a K9 is being brought in to track.

One man was wearing black sneakers, dark blue Adidas pants with striped down the leg and a black jacket.

The other man was wearing torn or worn jeans and a black hoodie.

 

Metro-North service is expected to return to normal by Wednesday morning, Gov. Dannel Malloy said during a news conference Monday afternoon.

Work continues at the train crash site after Friday's rush hour derailment in Connecticut that injured 72 people.

"While this is definitely great news, residents still need to bear in mind that the commute Tuesday will remain a challenge," Malloy said.

Malloy conceded traffic on Connecticut's highways was not as congested as had been predicted, but urged people to carpool or work from home on Tuesday to avoid major problems.

"We are confident that the reconstruction work, inspection and testing will be completed in time for a normal rush out on Wednesday," said Howard Permut, president of Metro-North.  "We are grateful for the tireless work of all departments and employees engaged in this huge task."

About 100 workers have been on the job around the clock since Saturday removing the damaged trains and repairing the track, Permut said.  Crews are rebuilding about 2,000 feet of track, according to Permut.

The National Transportation Safety Board authorized the removal of rail cars from the crash site on Saturday night, allowing the investigation and clean-up process to proceed. All rail cars were removed by Sunday afternoon and taken to the Bridgeport railyard, according to the NTSB.

Investigators are looking into a broken part of the rail that underwent repairs last month, but have not determined whether it was a pre-existing fracture or if it occurred as a result of the accident, according to NTSB spokesperson Earl Weener, who spoke at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. The board said the FBI has ruled out foul play in the investigation.

The trains were traveling at approximately 70 mph at the time of the crash, which is the posted speed limit, according to the NTSB.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and other officials spoke at a news conference on Saturday morning where they described a grisly scene after a Metro-North commuter train heading east from New York City derailed and was hit by an oncoming train heading west from New Haven.

"The damage is absolutely staggering," Sen. Blumenthal said. "Ribbons on the sides of cars are torn away like ribbons of clothes."

The NTSB's investigation could take seven to 10 days but that does not mean that service shutdown will take that long, board spokesman Earl Weener said..

The eastbound Metro-North train derailed just after 6 p.m. and was hit between the Bridgeport and Fairfield stations, officials said.

Metro-North has set up a toll-free number for customers on the trains involved in Friday’s crash to provide assistance. Call at 1-800-638-7646 for information on referral/support services, lost & found items and assistance with any paperwork.

Navy dolphins discovered an unusual torpedo off the coast of San Diego and handlers said it was obvious within minutes that the find was significant.

The dolphins were working off the coast of Coronado on mine-hunting training exercises in March when they recovered a 130-year-old Howell torpedo – one of the first self-propelled torpedoes developed and used by the U.S. Navy.

“There were only 50 Howell torpedoes made, and we discovered one of the two ever found,” said Braden Duryee, operations supervisor for the SSC Pacific Biosciences Division.

Within two weeks, two dolphins marked the object on the sea floor doing their regular daily training exercises.

The dolphins, named Ten and Spetz, followed procedure when an object of interest is discovered by surfacing and touching the side of a trailing boat in a certain manner.

Navy divers then went in and recovered it.

“It was puzzling and exciting,” said Chris Harris, Operations Supervisor for Navy Marine Mammals Program.

It’s so old, the divers actually Google'd information to identify it.

The rare torpedo was 11-feet long and propelled by a flywheel spun before launch.

“It’s almost Victorian in its design,” Harris said.

It could move at a speed of 25 knots and had a range of 400 yards SSC Pacific experts said.

The Naval Undersea Museum houses the only other known Howell torpedo in existence today.

The Howell torpedo recovered by SSC Pacific, is stamped “USN No. 24” and is said to be in pristine shape.

Duryee said it’s no surprise the dolphins found the item. What’s surprising to him is the torpedo's age.

As NBC 7 reported in November 2002, the dolphins train almost daily in the shadow of San Diego's skyline. Watch Video: Navy-Trained Dolphins Search for Bombs

In 1959, Navy scientists studied dolphins in an attempt to design a faster torpedo. That program quickly shifted focus to covert training. Several decades later, the program was declassified.

The dolphins are trained to find any types of items that are man-made. in the 50 years MMP has been around, dolphins have discovered and marked a number of unique items in the ocean.

In addition to dolphins, the Navy uses sea lions to recover objects like military hardware off the bottom of the ocean. 

A massive 200 mph tornado ripped through the Oklahoma City area on Monday afternoon and left a 20-mile path of destruction in its wake. At least 51 people were killed, the Oklahoma City medical examiner said, and rescue crews are searching frantically as night falls to find survivors in the wreckage.

“The whole city looks like a debris field,” said Mayor Glenn Lewis of the city of Moore, which appeared to be hardest hit.

Check out the videos, images and tweets from the ground:

The Amber Alert issued for two Massachusetts children was canceled after the children were found safe in Connecticut.

Massachusetts State Police issued the amber alert Monday afternoon after police say 10-year-old Sarah Nguyen and 8-year-old Patrick Nguyen were forcibly removed from their Braintree foster home by their father Jon T. Lockwood.

State police say a truck driver on Interstate 84 saw the suspect's car and called police. The two kids were located at the 7-11 on Ellington Road in South Windsor and the father was taken into custody. The two children are safe and unharmed.

We Are Newtown, a community organization created to raise money and provide support after the school shooting in December, will be shipping T-shirts to Moore, Oklahoma to provide some clothing for the tornado victims.

At least 24 people were killed in the tornadoes, more than 120 were injured and many more lost everything when powerful storms destroyed houses.

In the days, weeks and months after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, people from across the country were in mourning over the deaths of 20 elementary school students and six staff members, so they did what the could.

They sent money and gifts and stood in solidarity with Newtown.

Now, the people of Newtown want to give back and put shirts on the backs of people who have lost everything.

“Today we will overnight "We Are Newtown" t-shirts to Moore, OK in an effort to give those who lost so much, a simple shirt to put on their backs,” a post on the We Are Newtown Facebook page says. “The pillar of hope that reads on the back of the shirt will act as a small reminder to their community that they will make it through this incredibly difficult time. … Our prayers continue.”